Electrolytic apparatus



(No Model.)

T. CRANEY. I VBLECELROLYTIC APPARATUS. No. 549,186. latented Nov. 5, 1895.

nv'cizozff 772 amas Gimme All DREW BGRAHAM. FHOTDUIHQWASIIINGTOKD C UNITED. STAT-Es lPATENT OFFICE.

THoMAs cRANEY, on BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRO I 'YTIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,186, dated November 5, 1895.

Application filed March 16V, 1893.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, THOMAS CRANEY, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Bayv City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrolytic Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates more particularly to apparatus for the electrolysis of liquids; and the object of the invention is to construct an apparatus in which the internal resistance is reduced to a minimum and which is specially adapted for carrying out the process of electrolysis for commercial use.

To this end my invention consists in a novel construction, arrangement,- and combination .of the various'parts whereby the internal resistance is reduced to a minimum, whereby the apparatus is cheaply and simply constructed on any desired scale and embodies the feature of permanency, all as more fully hereinafter described in connection with the drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical section through an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof. Fig. 3 is a similar cross-section embodying some of the parts. Fig. et is a central section of a modified construction'of my invention. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of one corner of the inner vessel, and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the inner vessel shown in Fig. 4c.

A and B represent, respectively, the cathode and anode compartments, one formed within the other in any suitable manner, such vas by supporting within an outer vessel C an inner vessel D.

perforated sheet metal or of suitable wirecloth or fabric. Upon this I place the electrolytic diaphragm G, which may be formed, according to the nature of the electrolyte, of suitable bibulous or other porous material,

Serial No. l166,213. (No modeh) such as asbestos sheets or other like fabric. On top of this I place a layer of pulverized carbon II, into which carbon pencils I are inserted to reach above the liquid in the tank and receive the positive terminals from the source of electricity, whereby the carbon in the vessel D forms the anode.

It is evident that the construction and arrangement of the parts can be varied and changed in many respects without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

To insulate the vessel D Inore fully from the walls Ileave a space between this lining and the walls and fill it with a resinous substance, asphalt, or other like insulating material H. This lining may be firmly connected by means of bolts M to the walls or to the marginal flange' .I of the vessel, whereby an absolutely tight joint may be made. The perforated metallic bottom F of the inner vessel is made the cathode or a part of the cathode of the vessel by connecting it suitably with the negative terminals of the source of electricity. Where the outer vessel is also made of metal and the supporting cross-bars E are likewise of metal, the perforated bottom F is in electric connection with the entire outer vessel, and it will therefore form a portion of the cathode if the negative terminal is merely connected to the outer vessel.

To form an exit for the liquid from the inner vessel, I connect the outer and inner vessels by a hollow tube N, through which another tube O of insulating material is inserted into the inner vessel, thereby permitting the product from the inner vessel to be discharged. Provision is also made in any suitable manner for feeding the electrolyte into the vessels and removing the different products, gaseous or otherwise, from the tanks, and to collect the gaseous product in a proper manner the vessels are tightly closed.

In practice, the parts being arranged and constructed substantially as described, the electrolyte is lled in both vessels to about an even height and maintained at such height during the process of electrolysis, regulating the feed in a proper manner. Connection with the source of electricity being made as described, the carbon in the inner vessel Will form the anode, and the perforated support IOO F below the diaphragm forms the cathode or a portion of the cathode. Considering that the anode and cathode are only separated by the electrolytic diaphragm and present large surfaces contiguous to each other upon parallel lines, it is obvious that the internal resistance to the passage of the current is reduced to a minimum, producing a maximum eifect of the current.

The metallic support F and all the other metal embodiedin the apparatus are protected from the destructive influences of the products of decomposition'by making it the cathode of the apparatus, while, on the other hand, the use of the carbon as an anode in the manner described makes a permanent anode, and preferably the pencils I may be inclosed in an outer protective casing I to keep them more intact from the destructive iniiuences of the products in the anode-compartment.

In a commercial point of view, aside from the economical application of electricity, my apparatus has other advantages in that it permits the use of metallic vessels which can be made more readily of any form an d size better adapted to work on a large scale than stone or earthen vessels, which had formerly to be used, especially for the decomposition of chlo rides and other metallic salts, the products oi' the electrolysis being highly destructive. By using preferably vessels in the form of tanks currents of great electromotive force can be applied, as the cathodes and anodes form large surfaces in close proximity to each other and the pencils are comparatively short and a great number of them may be used so as to afford the least resistance.

In Fig. el I show a modification of my invention by constructing the inner vessel in a manner to make the sides as well as the bottom effective as the electrolytic diaphragm. To this end the inner vessel D has perforated sides and bottom and the material forming the diaphragm G covers the bottom and sides of the vessel. The interior of the vessel is then filled with pulverized carbon up or near to the height of the liquid and one or more carbon pencils I. This body of carbon outside of the liquid in the apparatus is mechanically connected with the positive terminal from the source of electricity. The negative terminal is again connected to the metallic parts of the apparatus, whereby the bottom and sides of the inner vessel are made to form the cathode or a portion of the cathode, affording thus the same advantages as in the construction represented in Figs. 1, 2, and

L designates the cover or cap for the inner vessel.

That I claim `as my invention is l. In anelectrolytic apparatus, the combination with an outer metallic vessel, of an inner metallic vessel suspended free from the sides and bottom of the outervesscl, and having a perforated base constituting a cathode, an insulated lining section for the side walls of the inner vessel, a diaphragm on the perforated bottom, and an anode resting on and forming a covering for the diaphragm, substantially as described.

2. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with an outer metallic vessel and an inner metallic vessel suspended therein and having a perforated bottom, of insulating material secured at and forming a lining for the sides oi` the inner vessel, a diaphragm on the upper face of the perforated bottom of the inner vessel, and an anode on the diaphragm having extensions beyond the inner vessel, substantially as described.

3. The combination of an outer vessel forming the cathode compartment, an inner metallic vessel forming the anode compartment and provided with an apertured bottom, an insulating lining protecting the sides of the vessel, an electrolytic diaphragm supported upon the apertured bottom of the inner vessel and a body of carbon supported upon the diaphragm and forming the an ode, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my gnature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS CRANEY.

Iitnessesz M. B. ODOGHERTY, P. M. HULBERT. 

